CommercialsJapanLexus LFAVideos

Japanese Lexus LFA Commercial!

  • Posted by Kevin on December 17th, 2009
I wasn’t expecting this—Lexus Japan has released an actual commercial for the LFA: Also from Lexus Japan is this new cut of the LFA’s launch video, featuring new music and some 3D animation of the supercar’s engine and brakes: The Roar of an Angel—what a tagline. (Both of these videos were posted by O.N.O., who …

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Body KitsF SPORTLexus LSLexus LS: Fourth GenerationPreviewsReviewsSpecial EditionsWebsites

Autoblog Reviews the 2010 Lexus LS 460 Sport

  • Posted by Kevin on December 16th, 2009
Autoblog has posted their review of the 2010 Lexus LS 460 Sport, where they were pleasantly surprised by the sedan’s newfound sportiness: Approaching the first tight turn along this curvy hillside ribbon of asphalt, we instinctively wanted to tap into the upgraded Brembos to scrub off some momentum. Expecting a fair amount of body roll, …

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Lexus LFAReviewsUnited Kingdom

Lexus LFA Review from The Sunday Times

  • Posted by Kevin on December 13th, 2009
Jason Barlow has reviewed the Lexus LFA for The Sunday Times: You can make up your own mind about the LFA’s looks, but it is aerodynamically efficient, authentically Japanese and more chunky Transformer than curvy Megan Fox. The sci-fi theme continues inside…after 10 minutes of fiddling I felt as befuddled as Bill Murray in Lost …

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1st GenerationFutureHybridsLexus GSLexus GS HybridLexus GS: Third GenerationRumors

2011 Lexus GS Rumors

  • Posted by Kevin on December 10th, 2009
Motor Trend has some new rumors on the next-generation Lexus GS expected to debut in 2011, including some questionable information on engine specifications that make me doubt their source: Gone is the current 4.6-liter V-8, replaced by a 2.5-liter V-6—most likely a version of the engine presently found in the IS. The present 3.5-liter V-6 …

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AudioLexus LFAVideosWebsites

Lexus LFA Sound Gallery

  • Posted by Kevin on December 10th, 2009
The Lexus LFA mini-site has been updated to include a Sound “Gallery”, where you can listen to the LFA in its various aural states—and lucky for us, Youtube user supercargasm has posted up each soundclip for our listening pleasure: Engine Start Acceleration Full Flight Downshift Every time I almost get used to Lexus having a …

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AustraliaF SPORTLexus LSLexus LS: Fourth GenerationPhoto GalleriesPhotos

Lexus LS 460 Sport Photos from Australia

  • Posted by Kevin on December 9th, 2009
Lexus Australia has just released what has to be considered the best LS 460 Sport photos since the vehicle’s introduction, including a good look at the new daytime running light design: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1482”} My initial disappointment with the Sport grille design has subsided to a point where I may be going the other way. I …

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AdvertisingCommercialsUSA

Lexus December to Remember 2009 Commercials

  • Posted by Kevin on December 4th, 2009
The Christmas season is upon us, which means another round of Lexus USA commercials announcing their December to Remember sales event: I’ve seen both a Hyundai and a Honda commercial mimicking this giant bow car surprise, making me wonder if this might be the last year we see Lexus using this theme. And yet, it’s …

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F SPORTLexus LFAReviews

Lexus LFA Review from jruhi4

  • Posted by Kevin on December 2nd, 2009
jruhi4 from My.IS, who you may remember was responsible for an epic Lexus IS convertible review, has taken it one step further with his latest—a Lexus LFA review so large and full of detail, it had to be split into two parts: The 1LR-GUE 4.8-liter V10 is such an all-new, clean-paper engine for Lexus that, …

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USAWebsites

Lexus Magazine Looking for Feedback

  • Posted by Kevin on December 2nd, 2009
Lexus Magazine, the monthly owners magazine from Lexus USA, has recently made the switch from print publication to part of the Lexus Drivers website, and are now looking for feedback on the changes from Lexus Enthusiast readers. My own experience with the old Lexus Magazine was limited to reading PDF versions, and for the most …

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AutoshowsLexus LFASpy ShotsUSAVideos

Three Ridiculous Lexus LFA Videos

  • Posted by Kevin on December 1st, 2009
All in the span of a 15 minute period, I watched these three absolutely ridiculous Lexus LFA videos—first up, a car blogger apparently snuck into the storage area where the matte black LFA was being prepped for the LA Auto Show and drove it around the garage: Now that’s just plain crazy. Next up, someone …

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Sales ReportsUSA

Lexus November 2009 Sales Report

  • Posted by Kevin on December 1st, 2009
Note: I’m going to try something new this month and collect worldwide Lexus sales in one post. This will be updated as country numbers become available. USA Lexus USA has reported their sales numbers for November 2009: November Year to Date 2009 2008 % CHG 2009 2008 % CHG IS 2,851 2,749 12.7 33,924 45,893 …

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CanadaIn the NewsLexus ES: Fifth GenerationLexus IS: Second Generation

Lexus ES 350 & IS 250/350 Recall Extended to Canada

  • Posted by Kevin on November 27th, 2009
The Lexus ES 350 & IS 250/350 safety recall that was announced in the USA has been extended to Canada. The recall will address the possible risk of unintended acceleration due to improperly installed floor mats by installing a new accelerator pedal and by installing a brake override system that will cut engine power went …

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PersonalUSA

Happy Thanksgiving!

  • Posted by Kevin on November 26th, 2009
I wanted to take this opportunity to wish all of my American readers a warm and plentiful Thanksgiving! Please drive safe if you have travels ahead of you, and enjoy this time with your family over the holiday weekend. All the best, Kevin Watts, Editor, The Lexus Enthusiast.
BrandingConceptsEuropeLexus LFAVideos

Lexus LFA Crystallised Wind Video

  • Posted by Kevin on November 25th, 2009
Loved this video of the transparent acrylic Lexus LFA created earlier this year for the Milan Design Week: An extraordinary model, and a beautifully filmed video. Must-see. (It was very hard to visualize the model by photos alone—I didn’t release there was an entire transparent engine sitting under the hood!) (Thanks WoL!)
In the NewsLexusLexus ESLexus ES: Fifth GenerationLexus ISLexus IS: Second GenerationUSA

Lexus ES 350 & IS 250/350 Recall Announced

  • Posted by Kevin on November 25th, 2009
Toyota has announced the recall of the Lexus ES 350 & IS 250/350 models to have their accelerator pedals reshaped and/or replaced. This recall is to be a permanent solution to the risk of unintended acceleration, no matter what floor mat is being used. Starting in early 2010, dealerships will be equipped to reshape the …

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AutoshowsF SPORTLexus LFAVideos

Lexus LFA Interior Walkthrough Video

  • Posted by Kevin on November 24th, 2009
This Urban Racer video of the Lexus LFA at SEMA features some nice detail footage of the interior, including a nice walkthrough of the instrument panel options: That LFA instrument panel is spectacular—can not wait to see something similar in other Lexus models down the road. [Source: Urban Racer]
DealershipsLexus GXLexus GX: Second GenerationUSA

2010 Lexus GX 460 US Pricing

  • Posted by Kevin on November 23rd, 2009
Arriving in US dealerships in late December, the 2010 Lexus GX 460 will be offered in two grades: The base model starts at $51,970, with standard features like power fold-flat third row seats, heated/ventilated front seats, rear backup camera, ten airbags,integrated XM, Bluetooth & iPod control, a 4.2” multi-information display, nine speaker audio system and …

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FeaturesPersonalSite News

Lexus Enthusiast 5.0

  • Posted by Kevin on November 21st, 2009
Welcome to the latest edition of The Lexus Enthusiast! Developed over a two-month period, this is the fifth redesign of the site since its debut in May 2007. First off, some key points: The entire site navigation has been simplified and reworked—gone is the needlessly complicated model database, and in its place is a simple …

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ConceptsEuropeHybridsUSA

Lexus LF-Ch Launch in 2012?

  • Posted by Kevin on November 20th, 2009
Paul Eisenstein of The Detroit Bureau had an opportunity to talk with Lexus USA General Manager Mark Templin on the future of the LF-Ch hatchback concept: “There is a group of buyers growing up now who won’t buy cars by the pound,” noted Templin, adding that, “We have already seen a structural shift” to the …

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F SPORTJapanLexus IS F: First GenerationLexus IS-FRacingTechVideos

Lexus IS F Lap with Gran Turismo’s Kazunori Yamauchi

  • Posted by Kevin on November 19th, 2009
Another day, another virtual lap—only this time it’s the esteemed Gran Turismo creator, Kazunori Yamauchi, driving a race-modifed Lexus IS F in the 8th round of the VLN series at Nürburgring: Back in August, Mr. Yamauchi and a team of two others (Motor Journalist Peter Lyon and racing driver Hideshi Matsuda—all three judges for the …

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Lexus LFAManufacturingUSA

More on the Lexus LFA Buying Process

  • Posted by Kevin on November 17th, 2009
Automobile Magazine has more on the Lexus LFA buying process: What I want to talk about is how a person might go about purchasing an LFA. Buying an exotic car, especially one in high demand, like most Ferraris, can be a very taxing experience even for the most battle-hardened business person. How do I get …

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Lexus LFAUSAVideos

Auto Club Speedway Lap with the Lexus LFA

  • Posted by Kevin on November 17th, 2009
Keeping with the Lexus F-Sport event at the Auto Club Speedway, here’s a LFA lap around the track with driver Scott Pruett, as filmed by Flipside 909 from Club Lexus: Hard to believe the speed watching the track whip by—absolutely wild.
CommercialsLexusLexus ESLexus ES: Fifth GenerationUSAVideos

Behind-the-Scenes of Lexus ES 350 Slice Commercial

  • Posted by Kevin on November 12th, 2009
Speaking of “behind-the-scenes” and Lexus ES commercials—here’s a real backstage pass to the work that went into creating one of my favorite Lexus commercials. First, the commercial (in poor quality): Next, here’s the process of creating a real “sliced” ES 350: The lengths that (Lexus USA advertising agency) Team One goes through to get these …

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AutoshowsConceptsHybridsVideos

The Lexus LF-Ch Design Story

  • Posted by Kevin on November 10th, 2009
Also out today is a video from Toyota’s Calty Design Research on the design of the Lexus LF-Ch: Nice to see the people behind the designs, even if the video plays like an automotive design school advertisement. (A funny thought: even though the LF-Ch has taken a back seat to the LFA in recent days, …

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F SPORTLexus LFAVideos

Lexus LFA Video Overview

  • Posted by Kevin on November 10th, 2009
If it hadn’t been for the boisterous voice over, I probably would have passed over this informative Lexus LFA video: (This video also includes the carbon fiber footage in case you didn’t see it the first time around.) I’m still marvelling at the LFA, it’s brought some much-needed energy to the brand. It also has …

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Lexus LFAReviews

Automobile Magazine Reviews the Lexus LFA

  • Posted by Kevin on November 9th, 2009
I stopped reading Lexus LFA reviews for a while as they were starting to blend together, but Automobile Magazine’s Georg Kacher pulled me back in with his impressions of the new Lexus supercar: Codeveloped with Yamaha, the 552-hp, 4.8-liter V-10 is without a doubt a mechanical masterpiece. It has been skillfully engineered, with almost telepathic …

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Lexus LFAUSAVideos

Homestead Hot Laps in the Lexus LFA

  • Posted by Kevin on November 6th, 2009
As part of their North American LFA press event in Miami, Lexus gave the journalists the opportunity to experience a hot lap around the Homestead Speedway with an experienced race car driver behind the wheel—here’s footage from two such runs: Love the interior sound, especially now that I know it was tuned by musicians.
Lexus LFATechUSA

10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Lexus LFA

  • Posted by Kevin on November 6th, 2009
Edmunds Inside Line has put together a great list of ten things you didn’t know about the Lexus LFA—here’s an example: Spectacular Sound Two separate ducts route intake noise into the firewall from the intake manifold, allowing two different octaves of engine music to penetrate the passenger compartment. As a result, the LFA’s engine note …

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2nd GenerationComparisonsCompetitorsLexus RX HybridLexus RX Hybrid: First GenerationReviewsUnited Kingdom

Auto Express Comparison: Lexus RX 450h vs. BMW X5 30d

  • Posted by Kevin on November 5th, 2009
Auto Express compared the 2010 Lexus RX 450h to the BMW X5 30d SE to see which SUV is the better buy: …which car more successfully mixes eco-friendly credentials with rugged versatility and luxury? There’s no denying the X5 still rules the roost for image and driving dynamics. Plus, the big boot and seven-seat potential …

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HybridsInteriorsLexus LS: Fourth GenerationPhoto GalleriesPhotosUSA

2010 Lexus LS 600hL Photos & Information

  • Posted by Kevin on November 5th, 2009
A large photo gallery of the 2010 Lexus LS 600hL has been released by Lexus USA: {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1430”} One of the photos in particular gives us our best look at the grille and the new headlight design, which incorporates a thin light strip that mirrors the taillight design: I don’t know that these photos make …

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F SPORTLexus LFAOfficial EventsRacing

Lexus F-Sport Event in California

  • Posted by Kevin on November 4th, 2009
Lexus USA is holding an F-Sport event November 12th at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California: One Day Only at Auto Club Speedway… An exclusive opportunity to experience the performance and appearance-enhancing F-Sport™ accessories on a custom autocross course at California’s premiere track- Auto Club Speedway.. Come out and experience racing inspired components that …

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F SPORTFutureInteriorsLexus LFAVideos

Lexus LFA Instrument Panel Video

  • Posted by Kevin on November 3rd, 2009
There were some quick shots of the Lexus LFA’s instrument panel in the official press video, but this autoshow simulator footage shows just how amazing the supercar’s display really is: With the moving chrome ring, there’s a real mechanical feel to the interface, making it look even more like it’s from the future—absolutely beautiful shutdown …

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Sales ReportsUSA

Lexus USA October 2009 Sales Report

  • Posted by Kevin on November 3rd, 2009
The October sales numbers for Lexus USA are in, and both the car & truck divisions posted positive year-to-year gains: October Year to Date 2009 2008 % CHG 2009 2008 % CHG IS 3,162 2,772 10.0 31,073 43,144 -28.0 HS 1,527 0 3,312 0 ES 4,413 4,141 2.8 37,844 54,783 -30.9 GS 494 819 -41.8 …

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AutoshowsBody KitsModsOfficial EventsPhoto GalleriesUSA

SEMA 2009 Lexus Car Guide

  • Posted by Kevin on November 2nd, 2009
SEMA, the annual automotive specialty products tradeshow, starts tomorrow, and will feature seven Lexus automobiles, including the North American debut of the LFA and the winner of the SEMA Showcase contest—here’s a full breakdown of the participating vehicles: IS 300 by DAVID HUANG {embed=“site/gallery” gallery_id=“1421”} Description David Huang invested over $100,000 in his IS 300 …

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JapanLexus LFAManufacturingVideos

Lexus LFA Carbon Fiber Creation Video

  • Posted by Kevin on November 1st, 2009
Here’s a video that shows the machine responsible for the Lexus LFA’s dual-carbon fiber A-pillars: Called a rotary weaver, this machine is of only two such devices in existence, and is used expressly for the creation of the carbon fiber components of the LFA. Hard to imagine what else this machine will create—the possibilities are …

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